Herbs annual, to 60 cm tall, ± drying black. Roots conical, slender. Stems 1--5, unbranched or branched apically; branches slender, often 3--5 per node. Basal leaves withering early; petiole to 3 cm. Stem leaves in whorls of 3--5; petiole 1--3 cm, distal ones much shorter; leaf blade ovate-oblong to linear-oblong, 3.5(--10) cm X 1.5(--50) mm, abaxially glabrescent, adaxially sparsely pubescent or glabrescent, pinnatisect; segments 8--10 pairs, linear, pinnatipartite, dentate. Inflorescences spicate, more than 20 cm, interrupted basally; bracts shorter than flowers, proximal ones leaflike, distal ones usually ± palmately cleft. Calyx 9--10 mm; more than 1/2 cleft anteriorly, glabrous; lobes 5, grouped posteriorly, linear. Corolla yellow, 1.4--1.8 cm; tube slightly enlarged and curved apically, 1--1.1 cm; beak twisted laterally usually into a circle, 5--7 mm; lower lip ca. 1.1 X 1.4--1.7 cm, glabrous. 2 filaments villous, 2 glabrous. Capsule 3/4 enclosed by accrescent calyx, compressed, ovoid, ca. 1.7 cm X 6 mm, obliquely apiculate. Fl. Jun--Jul, fr. Jul--Aug.

* Alpine meadows; 2500--3900 m. C and SW Gansu, E Qinghai, N Sichuan.